mjzee

When I first answered the question, I mentioned albums that I heard in 1973. Of course, subsequently I've heard many albums that were recorded/released in 1973, but I mentioned ones that were important to me in that year. And yes, the Leo Kottke made a huge impression on me then. I was on Capitol's mailing list at the time, and got a reviewer copy. The last track on the album cut off (intentionally) during the applause; my later CD has the applause fade out.

I'm not a big fan of his singing. I didn't love "Sky Street."

Here's a recent discussion about that (though I thought it was more recently):

1972 was probably a better year for music than '73...but thanks to Bev for starting the thread. I started college in '73, and met a whole new bunch of people... there were The Who freaks, and that was understandable (tho I was more in the "like" category), but then there were The Kinks freaks. Really? In 1973? But there they were, a very passionate bunch. Preservation Act 1 was OK, and I probably wouldn't have paid attention to it without them. We started a "Whatever happened to Pete Quaife" campaign.

The Dead's Wake of the Flood was a nice arrival. On the other hand, Zappa's Over-Nite Sensation was a crushing disappointment, pandering to the masses, as was Beefheart's Unconditionally Guaranteed. Dylan's Planet Waves was great, but "Dylan" was a stinker (I know, I know, released without consent) and "Pat Garrett" was inconsequential. Iggy's Raw Power had a lot going for it, but that odd mix sapped a lot of its strength. I liked Jackson Browne's For Everyman. Maybe the best albums of 1973 were Mahavishnu's Between Nothingness and Eternity, Saunders/Garcia's Live at Keystone, and Soft Machine 6 and 7. I also liked Toots & The Maytals' Funky Kingston and Oregon's Distant Hills. (Kudos to iTunes for providing a sort showing the year!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZB9-pBAv4c King Crimson - French TV 1974

Moondog 2 has always been one of my favorite albums. Very hard to describe: songs written as rounds, many singers overdubbed, some instruments, and just a tour de force. Available as part of this release:

The Bach Guild's (Vanguard) Big Handel Box. 14 hours of music for 99 cents: Amazon

"Maceo! I want you to blow!" So James Brown began chanting to his new saxophonist, Maceo Parker, shortly after the 21-year-old musician joined Brown's band in 1964. By regularly calling out his name on records and in live performances, Brown made Mr. Parker the band's most popular member after the star himself. It's impossible to imagine Brown's soul and funk hits, like "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "I've Got You (I Feel Good)," without Mr. Parker's distinctive solos: His tightly focused yet ebullient sound became synonymous with the soul music of an era. In 1968, when the Brown troupe arrived in Africa for the first time, the crowds at the Abidjan airport in Ivory Coast began chanting "MA-CE-O, MA-CE-O!" as the band disembarked. Mr. Parker has long had a reputation as one of the most dependable men in the music business, a player who made it a point to avoid drugs, alcohol and the other craziness that affected so many of his friends. His memoir, "98% Funky Stuff: My Life in Music," helps explain how he got that way. More here: WSJ

I never liked "Quiet," and it's definitely atypical of Sco's output. In general, I'd go with the Verves last (although there are some enjoyable ones); hard to say why, tho maybe it's just too much output.

I've always loved this album. Besides the obvious respect the two guitarists have for each other, their styles are very complimentary, even their tones. It's not a cutting contest. Sco's tunes have the slight edge for me, but Pat's are no slouch. Great variety of tunes, too...the album plays well from beginning to end. Larry, it sounds like you're not giving Scofield his due. He had a very strong run of albums in the '80's and '90's. The albums with Frisell burn, and the funk albums are great (check out "Groove Elation" and "Hand Jive"). For Sco, it's all about the tunes...very melodic and catchy. Not a lot of ego there. Also, the Enja's are really good (try "Out Like A Light" and "Shinola") and the Gramavision "Flat Out." Sco is fun.

Up for curiosity. Did we ever determine which is the best sounding version?

Review in WSJ: Experiencing a New Hendrix Relic

Traffic has darkened the façade of the Hunter College-owned MFA Studio Building on 41st Street, between the Port Authority and the Lincoln Tunnel. The interior, a picture of institutional indifference, doesn't look much better. But a climb to the sixth floor reveals a glittering treasure called the Association of Cultural Equity (ACE), a vast and remarkable assemblage of field recordings, instruments, books, posters and other artifacts collected by the legendary American archivist Alan Lomax over the better part of the 20th century. In 1983, Lomax founded ACE in this building as a command post for his lifelong mission, to compile and disseminate the sights and sounds of cultures from around the globe, hoping to preserve them lest they be extinguished. Twenty-four years later, and 11 years since Lomax's death, the building is being sold, and ACE is preparing to move into a smaller space at Hunter's Brookdale campus, on 25th Street and First Avenue. Continued here: WSJ

What are your thoughts on the Pablo box: whose dates are correct?

I never liked what he played. Too many notes, not enough taste or discretion. Listen to "Black Beauty," where he's virtually battling Miles, and compare it to Live Evil, where Jarrett really complements the music and Miles's vision. Return To Forever was all bombast and commerciality. Just my two cents.

Good for Tony Hatch, who will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame: Yahoo News

Thanks for posting that link.

The Dexter's now down to $7.60. Also: Joe Henderson, $7.69; Herbie Hancock, $11.65; Wayne Shorter, $18.61; Art Blakey, $7.60: Any thoughts on this Bill Withers box? Not jazz, exactly, but his hits have a nice feel to them. 9 discs, $23.30 from an Amazon reseller:

Much of this is still protected by copyright...weird.

"Joy of a Toy" was one of my favorite albums. RIP.

FWIW (perhaps not much), from someone more on the periphery of the jazz scene, I think The Giant Is Awakened is better known than Flight for Four (which I've never heard of). If TGIA can be considered "legendary" and "rarely heard," that could contribute to sales. Also promote that Blythe is on it.

Another very enjoyable date. Kenny generously shares the spotlight with an all-star band (Roland Hanna, Jimmy Owens, Jerome Richardson, Steve Turre, Benny Powell) and two vocalists (Jeannie Bryson and Vanessa Rubin):

We should start a thread for "Most Consistent Jazz Artist." For me, it's KB. I know any date he's on will be soulful, swinging and enjoyable. Special mention should be made for last year's "Tenderly," his first (!) solo recording. I'm curious what others think of it. It sounds to me like he's a little out of his element, but is giving it the old college try. Maybe I need another listen. Certainly he deserves credit for pushing his boundaries, esp. at this stage of his career.

I've uploaded the photos I took of the show to Photobucket. These were shot with the highest zoom setting, so many shots are somewhat blurry, but I hope the spirit of the evening comes through. Trio 3 in Houston Password: Eldorado